Harry Potter and the Musical of Doom
by xenelle
Summary: Harry Potter and his friends find themselves the victim of the musical episode of Buffy - Once more with feeling.


Harry Potter and the Musical of Doom  
  
Author's Notes: This is a merger with the Buffy episode 'Once more with Feeling'. Almost all dialogue is sung rather than spoken. Everything in italics is sung unless otherwise indicated. I have kept it like the episode, as there are different Acts and a Teaser as well as a Previously. I've done my best to show where multiple people are singing at once. I hope it makes some sense. I do not own the characters or situations of Harry Potter and BtVS other people do. Also it will help to have seen the actual episode to have an idea how the songs go there are MP3s from the show at: Thanks to Akasha who beta'd this fic  
  
~~~~~~~~ Teaser ~~~~~~~  
  
Dumbledore Voiceover: Previously on "Harry Potter..."  
  
Last year Harry Potter had been believed taken captive by a group of Death Eaters led by Lucius Malfoy; during the period of captivity which lasted three months, Harry was actually in a place where his parents were alive and the entire world was an utopia.  
  
Draco Malfoy who having seen the true nature of Death Eaters and Voldemort (though not what they did to Harry Potter) rescued Harry, with the help of his girlfriend Hermione Granger, Remus Lupin and Sirius Black. Draco then became a spy for Dumbledore. As Draco is still using very dark magic (it was this type of magic that was used in the rescue of Harry), Hermione is becoming increasingly worried that he might be addicted to the power.  
  
In the celebrations that followed Sirius and Remus announced their engagement, which they had been keeping secret at Sirius's request. Sirius had told Remus that he wanted to keep it quiet during the tumult surrounding Harry's return, never admitting that the real reason for his silence was his own doubts. Now he claims he is ready to share his joy with his friends.  
  
Ginny was overjoyed to see her friend and onetime crush return, but almost immediately fell back into the role of overlooked younger sister and friend. Since the war broke out Harry had been pulling away from the people he cared about who weren't directly involved. Unsure of the dynamics of this, and the fact that barring her, the rest of the family are deeply enmeshed with the war including her mother. Feeling over looked and treated like a child Ginny had taken to acting out for attention, sneaking out after curfew to meet with 'friends' in Hogsmeade, skipping classes, and generally acting up in class. Ginny's rebelliousness had more recently manifested itself in shoplifting items from Fred and George's new store the Magic Box, as well as other stores around Hogsmeade, in a silent plea for attention.  
  
Once notified that Harry Potter was back Dumbledore returned from the Continent where he was recruiting more people to his cause. Dumbledore was cautiously pleased to see Harry back. The Headmaster knew that Harry was having trouble adjusting to his old life and taking on the role of adult, and felt that he was standing in the way. With him around as a father figure for Harry he knew that Harry would never turn into the leader that Harry had to be in this war. Furthermore, Sirius would never take on the role of father for Harry, as he should be, instead of the favourite uncle that he is playing now. Not willing to abandon his group, Dumbledore could not admit that his return was temporary.  
  
Snape, who was always a peripheral member of the group, was also happy that Harry was back. The former Death Eater had experienced growing and completely unrequited feelings for the Gryffindor over the past year. Although he wouldn't return his love Harry still felt a connection to Snape as he was the only one he could share his trauma with.  
  
Teaser  
  
Fred and George were sitting at their flat in Hogsmeade watching a television the words Executive Producer Joss Whedon appeared on the screen and the twins looked at each other and grinned. "You know what we should do?" said George; Fred nodded and stood up and found a battered old leather- bound book, "The question is how? George." His brother got up and stood behind him as he leafed through it. "We need to bring music to this world, we all could do with some music," George said out loud, as the last cords of the theme song for the show they were watching was heard. The television gave a bang and the book that Fred had been holding glowed in his hands. Fred dropped it in surprise. The twins looked at each other their expressions of surprise and shock mirrored on their faces the glow turned to a beam of blue light that seemed to attach itself to the television and then blast out of the box and cover the area. Just as soon as it happened it ended. The twins looked at each other and shrugged.  
  
Act I  
  
An old-fashioned alarm clock (the kind with actual bells) hits 7:00 and the alarm goes off. Harry in bed, rolls over to glare at the clock. He reaches over, picks it up, looks at it.  
  
There is instrumental music that washes over the area that the light encompassed but the people don't pay any attention to it. As it plays, Draco walks out of his dorm, and then he turns and goes back the way he came. Grabs a sweater from a chair and exits into the bathroom. As he goes, Hermione is making the bed, to give the house elves less work she finds a herb under her pillow. She picks it up and smells it, then smiles.  
  
Ginny runs out of her dorm and over to the bathroom door. She knocks on the door while jumping from foot to foot as if she has to pee. Hermione comes out of the bathroom brushing her hair. Ginny rushes into the bathroom.  
  
Back in the Gryffindor Seventh Year Boy's dorms Harry is still lying in bed, awake.  
  
Later on in the day Ginny, Harry, Sirius, Remus, Hermione, Draco, and Dumbledore are at Fred and George's shop the Magic Box; the music continues. All are still oblivious. Sirius and Remus are looking at a wedding magazine, smiling and talking. A customer comes over and Fred escorts her toward the cash register.  
  
Ginny standing by the bookshelves looking at a book. Dumbledore comes over and takes the book away. Ginny looks annoyed. Dumbledore gestures with the book and she walks off. Draco and Hermione looking at a book together and taking notes. Harry sitting next to Hermione, sketching on a pad, actually Harry is colouring the page all black without actually taking not of what he's doing. Dumbledore comes over and holds a large axe in Harry's line of sight, then he gestures with his head toward the back and walks away. Harry puts down his sketchpad, gets up and follows Dumbledore toward the workout room, taking off his sweater as she goes. The song ends without anyone noting it and the people continue to go about their business.  
  
Harry walks along the streets of Hogsmeade at night, looking around. Suddenly he begins to sing  
  
"Every single night, the same arrangement I go out and fight the fight. Still I always feel this strange estrangement  
  
Nothing here is real, nothing here is right. "  
  
A vampire wearing Death Eater robes appears from behind harry, rushes at him. He spins him around, and starts to fight, continues singing.  
  
"I've been making shows of trading blows Just hoping no one knows That I've been going through the motions Walking through the part."  
  
Harry pulls his wand from his robes pocket, and takes him out without looking back  
  
"Nothing seems to penetrate my heart. I was always brave, and kind of righteous. Now I find I'm wavering."  
  
As he is still walking he notices two more vampires and a Death Eater playing with a person tied to a tree the two vampires see him and attack.  
  
"Crawl out of your grave, you'll find this fight just Doesn't mean a thing."  
  
One of the Vampires joins in, none of them seem to think that this is in any way strange. "He ain't got that swing."  
  
The vampire punches Harry and he goes down. A sword is stuck in the ground beside him. He lies there on his back. Harry sings, "Thanks for noticing."  
  
He continues lying there as the two vampires and the Death Eater begin to do a dance. Singing together: " He does pretty well with fiends from hell But lately we can tell That he's just going through the motions"  
  
Harry gets up and picks up the sword as the Death Eater starts to go off into his little jingle "Going through the motions." Harry grabs on of the vampires and cuts off its head the other one still sings. "Faking it somehow." Harry stabs the Death Eater with the sword and it continues to sing "He's not even half the man he." The Death Eater then notices he's dead "ow."  
  
Harry, still carrying the sword, now gets back to the all-important job of singing and walks towards the hostage. "Will I stay this way forever? Sleepwalk through my life's endeavor? "  
  
He uses the sword to cut the ropes that are tying the person to a tree. The person comes around the tree trunk and we see it's a very good-looking man. Who sings of his gratitude "How can I repay." But Harry interrupts him. "Whatever." He walks away from the man and drops the sword and heads toward a raised platform in the middle of town. Harry sings: "I don't want to be. Going through the motions Losing all my drive. I can't even see If this is really me And I just want to be. " The last vampire attacks him and he kills it in one blow and as the dust clears Harry sings and holds the last word. "Alive."  
  
The next day Harry entered the Magic Box and headed over to Dumbledore. After the joke shop the twins opened took off they handed the reins of that business to Sirius Black; the original prankster in their opinion; and opened up a miscellaneous store filled with odds and ends. They specialised in rare artifacts, but sold books, candles, jewelry, wands, potions, and potion ingredients; they allowed Dumbledore to set up a sort of headquarters there and now the whole gang hung out there everyday when they weren't occupied by their other duties. Dumbledore saw Harry and greeted him "Good morning, Harry!" Draco and Hermione where standing by the counter Draco called out "Oh, hey, did Ginny get off to class all right?"  
  
Harry distractedly answered " What? Oh, uh, yeah. I think so." Harry walks further into the store and sees Sirius sitting at a table playing with two donuts. " Respect the cruller. And tame the donut! " Remus passes him by on the way to the counter and pats him on the shoulder saying distracedly, "That's still funny, sweetie." Remus now is behind the counter and Dumbledore heads towards the donut box Harry looks around at the lack of books on their usual table and speaks out "So, uh, no research? Nothing going on? Monsters or whatnot?" The group shakes their heads 'no' and those with donuts continue to eat. Harry relived says "Good! Good" Then thinks that maybe the whole singing thing might be just him so asks awkwardly " Uh, so, did anybody ... uh ... last night, you know, did anybody, um ... burst into song?" Dumbledore stops eating and everyone stares at Harry then after a beat Sirius exclaims " Merciful Zeus!"  
  
Draco, Hermione, and Remus rush over. Everyone talks at once. Draco says, "We thought it was just us! " Dumbledore muses, "Well, I sang but I had my guitar at the hotel... " Hermione continues with what Draco was saying, "It was bizarre. We were talking and then it was like." Harry finishes her thought, "Like you were in a musical!" Hermione agrees, "Yeah!" Dumbledore continues with what he was saying regardless, "That would explain the huge backing orchestra I couldn't see and the synchronized dancing from the room service chaps." Draco starts to explain what they were singing about. "We did a whole duet about dish washing." Remus turns to Draco as well and says, "And we were arguing and, and then everything rhymed and there were harmonies and the dance with coconuts." Draco nods and replies, "There was an entire verse about the couscous." Sirius comments, "It was very disturbing." Dumbledore turns to Harry and asks softly, " What did you sing about?" Harry answers but doesn't want to burden anyone with what he did sing about so he says, "I don't remember. But i-it seemed perfectly normal." Sirius, still weirded out about the couscous song and singing in general says to Dumbledore, "But disturbing. And not the natural order of things, and do you think it'll happen again?" Dumbledore answers, "I don't know. I should look into it." Draco agrees, "With the books." Hermione having read most of the books at least once asks, "Do we have any books on this?" Sirius completely traumatized with singing replies, "Well, we just gotta break it down. Look at the factors before it happens again. Because I for one." Gets interrupted with Dumbledore singing his thoughts on the subject. "I've got a theory That it's a demon A dancing demon! No, something isn't right there."  
  
Draco joined in putting in his two Knuts "I've got a theory Some kid is dreamin' And we're all stuck inside his wacky Broadway nightmare. " He gestured to Hermione who was doing 'jazz hands' Sirius started to sing as well wanting the singing to end. "I've got a theory we should work this out"  
  
Remus, Draco and Hermione started to sing about their feelings on singing "It's getting eerie, what's this cheery singing all about?" Fred and George jump up and sing "It could be witches! Some evil witches! " Looks at Hermione "Which is ridiculous, 'cause witches they were persecuted, Witches good and love the earth and womanpower and I'll be over here." Goes to a far spot and sits Remus suddenly pipes up with his idea "I've got a theory! It could be bunnies! " It's silent. Everyone looks at him. Then Hermione sings "I've got a." The background music they couldn't see changes and a spotlight focuses on Remus who starts to sing a rock tune on his fear of rabbits "Bunnies aren't just cute like everybody supposes! They've got them hoppy legs and twitchy little noses! And what's with all the carrots? What do they need such good eyesight for anyway? [playing air guitar] Bunnies! Bunnies! It must be bunnies! " Fireworks go off thanks to Fred and George getting onto the music and when the smoke clears everyone is staring at him expressionless and he returns to the original melody with yet another strange theory "Or maybe midgets." Draco sits quickly down next to Dumbledore and opens a book and voices his concern to him "I've got a theory we should work this fast." Dumbledore agrees with this and they sing together "Because it clearly could get serious before it's passed." Dumbledore gets up and goes up to the loft where the more archaic books are held and Harry sings for the first time since the song began. "I've got a theory. It doesn't matter." Dumbledore stops and looks back and everyone looks at Harry trying to see where this is going, Harry continues and becomes cheesy "What can't we face if we're together? What's in this place that we can't weather? Apocalypse? We've all been there. The same old trips Why should we care?"  
  
Everyone understands the words but not so much the meaning behind it except for Dumbledore and all baring him join in the musical group hug, and sing "What can't we do if we get in it? We'll work it through within a minute." Harry was looking at Dumbledore for this for approval and acceptance and he starts to walk down the stairs and joins in "We have to try We'll pay the price It's do or die "  
  
Harry makes a joke "Hey, I've died twice." Dumbledore smiles and comes down the ladder "What can't we face if we're together? " the group sings and then Dumbledore joins in a descant "What can't we face... " The group finishes "What's in this place that we can't weather? " Dumbledore finishes his question actually considering the possibilities of this " ...if we're together..." The group finishes their song "There's nothing we can't face." And Remus still thinking of his fear sings "Except for bunnies." And sits down at the table dejected. Sirius joins his fiancé at the table saying "See, okay, that was disturbing" Draco sits down and says, "I thought it was neat." To Hermione who nods. Harry more intent on getting this problem out of the way asks the headmaster "So what is it? What's causing it?" The headmaster comes back with "I thought it didn't matter." Harry, getting the point of the slightly pointed comment replies "Well, I'm not exactly quaking in my stylish yet affordable boots, but there's definitely something unnatural going on here. And that doesn't usually lead to hugs and puppies."  
  
Remus asks, "Well, is it just us? I mean, is it only happening to us?" Harry turns away and heads to the front of the shop while the werewolf continues to think out loud "'Cause that would probably mean a spell or." Harry goes to the door, opens it. The bell jingles. Out side it's musical chaos Justin Finch-Fletchley stands in the street holding a shirt in a dry- cleaning bag. Praising the wonders of the wizard dry-cleaning store "They got ... the mustard ... out! " There's orchestral music and a crowd behind him is sing and dancing, it seems that that company is doing well. As the crowd sings "They got the mustard out!" Harry turns back into the store, closes the door. "It's not just us." Harry says as he rejoins the group.  
  
Ginny enters the store wearing a huge smile. She comes to the table and exclaims "Oh my god. You will never believe what happened at school today."  
  
Everyone is sitting at the table looking at books Harry guesses while not looking up "Everybody started singing and dancing?" Ginny looks disappointed. Gives a different answer "I gave birth to a pterodactyl." Remus looks up "Oh my god, did it sing?" Draco and Hermione are whispering to whispering to each other. Ginny joins them "So, you guys too, huh?" Ginny walks over to the counter and sees a beautiful small talisman on a chain sitting on the counter hidden with other stuff. Sirius joins in the conversation "So what'd you guys sing about?" With all the enthusiasm gone Ginny answers "Arithmancy". Ginny pockets the necklace unnoticed. Ginny puts down her backpack, sits on a stool by the counter. Draco whispering in Hermoine's ear with a smirk on his face. Hermione suppresses her own smile and says loudly "That's right! The, the volume. The text." Dumbledore confused asks "What text?" Draco answers "The volume-y text. You know? The. murenfurm report. Sirius is now confused "The what now?" Hermione answers "Oh, there's just a few volumes back Hogwarts that deal with mystical chants, bacchanals. It might be relevant." Draco picks up the thread hoping to be asked to go get it "Yeah, we could, um." Dumbledore gets the gist, sort of, "Well, I'm a hair's breadth from investigating bunnies at the moment, so I'm open to anything." Draco quickly gathers his things "Great, we'll, uh, go check it out and uh, we'll give you a call." Hermione does the same "Yeah, this could blow the whole thing wide open."  
  
Draco and Hermione walking through a park. It's sunny and beautiful. Green grass, blue sky Hermione turns to Draco and asks "Do we have any books at all at school?" Draco turns and avoids the question "Well, who wants to be cooped up on a day like this? The sun is shining, there's songs going on..." A couple of young men walk by and look at Draco and Hermione as they pass. Draco continues "...those guys are checking you out." Hermione surprised says "What?" She turns to look at the men as they continue and asks "Wh-What are they looking at?" Draco smirks and rolls his eyes "The hotness of you, doofus." The brunette still can't believe that she was being checked out asks again "Those girls really thought I was hot?" She looks back at them again "Entirely. " "Oh my god. Catch you later Draco I want them instead" Hermione makes like she's going to run after them. Draco grabs her and pulls her back. Hermione giggles. "Do I have to fight to keep you? 'Cause I'm not large with the butch." They are standing underneath a tree on a bridge Draco had Hermione up against a wooden railing Hermione blushes "I'm just ... not used to that. They-they were really looking at me? " Draco smiles softly at her and says fondly "And you can't imagine what they see in you." Hermione bolder now pushes Draco's hair out of his face and replies "I know exactly what they see in me. You."  
  
She starts to sing "I lived my life in shadow Never the sun on my face. It didn't seem so sad, though I figured that was my place Now I'm bathed in light" She walks out of the shade of the tree and into a pool of light and looks around her and turns back to Draco "Something just isn't right I'm under your spell How else could it be Anyone would notice me? It's magic, I can tell How you set me free Brought me out so easily."  
  
She takes Draco by the hand and they walk in step almost dancing but not quite through the park and Hermione still sings  
  
"I saw a world enchanted Spirits and charms in the air."  
  
Hermione makes a gesture with her wand and sparkles appear, following the wand with a little tinkling noise. She sings "I always took for granted I was the only one there." Draco makes some even more impressive sparkles with his hand; ending in a small shower of sparks surrounding them both. They smile at each other. "But your power shone Brighter than any I've known."  
  
Hermione spins away from Draco. We see a small pond at the edge of the grass. Hermione begins to dance. "I'm under your spell Nothing I can do You just took my soul with you"  
  
A couple of young women are on the grass sunbathing in the background. They get up and begin dancing in sync with Hermione.  
  
"You worked your charms so well Finally, I knew Everything I dreamed was true You made me believe."  
  
The sunbathers sing backup for Hermione "Ahhh, ahhh, ahhh "  
  
Draco and Hermione spin around in each other's arms. Suddenly they are in the dorms. They sit down on the bed and look lovingly at each other. The music and background "ahh, ahh" continues.  
  
Hermione still singing "The moon to the tide I can feel you inside I'm under your spell" She lies back on the bed "Surging like the sea" Draco leans over her and smiles Drawn to you so helplessly I break with every swell" Draco moves over her and then his head goes downward "Lost in ecstasy Spread beneath my willow tree You make me complete!"  
  
Hermoine's body slowly rises up and hovers over the bed. Surrounded in green and red mist  
  
"You make me complete You make me complete " As her singing fades  
  
Back at the Magic Box everyone still looking at books. Sirius thinks out loud "I bet they're not even working." Harry not really paying attention asks "Who now?" Sirius answers "Draco and Hermione. You see the way they were with each other? The get-a-roominess to them? I bet they're." Looks at Ginny alternating between research and homework rethinks his words "Singing. They're probably singing right now." Dumbledore puts in his defence of his two smartest students of Harry's year. "I'm sure Draco and Hermione are making every effort." Sirius doubtful "Oh, yeah." Harry in a warning tone "Sirius." Ginny placates Harry's over protective nature "Harry, it's okay. I do know about this stuff. Mum and I had the singing talk a year ago. Besides, it's all kinda romantic. Harry and Sirius become defensive "No it's not!" Ginny getting all girly for one who has six brothers and spends most of her time around boys says, "Come on! Songs, dancing around. What's gonna be wrong with that?"  
  
The Skull and Cross Bones is a pub in Hogsmeade that the Death Eaters took over as their own. Which is where we are now. It's dark. Colin Creevy is tap-dancing across the floor. His expression is scared and desperate. He continues dancing and suddenly bursts into flame, screaming. He falls to the floor in front of a pair of feet in red shoes and red pants. It belongs to Sweet; who is now in the body of Lord Voldemort. He speaks and his voice is a mixture of snakes hissing and the lyrical tones of the demon that used to be Sweet. "That's entertainment."  
  
Act II  
  
The next day at Sirius and Remus flat in Hogsmeade the couple were just sitting up from waking up; their pajamas have a forties look to them. Sirius rubs the sleep from his eyes and asks Remus "You want some breakfast, baby?" Remus replies with a question "You don't have to go to work? " Sirius shudders "Nah, I shut the crew down for the day. My guys start dancing around me, I don't know if I can deal. It's a flab thing. So, waffles? " Remus bends over and kisses him and asks, "Will you still make me waffles when we're married? " He jokes in reply "No, I'll only make them for myself, but by Wizarding law, you will own half of them." He kisses him again then says "Hey, how about omelets? I could do an omelet. You know, I've almost got that pan flipping thing down, there was just that one. incident, and the fire marshal was much less."  
  
Sirius continues talking but the words fade as music comes from nowhere and Remus looks at Sirius affectionately and addresses an imaginary audience and sings "This is the man that I plan to entangle Isn't he fine? My claim to fame was to maim and to mangle Vengeance was mine! But I'm out of the biz The name I made, I'll trade for his The only trouble is" He pauses there and shakes his head then sings "I'll never tell."  
  
Remus gets up and walks off. Sirius sits up in bed and sings to the same fictional audience. "He is the one He's such wonderful fun Such passion and grace."  
  
Remus returns sits beside him to put on his slippers. Sirius fondles his knee.  
  
"Warm in the night when I'm right in his tight." Thinks and changes word "Embrace! Tight embrace!" He hugs him enthusiastically to prove his point. Remus wriggles out of his grasp and listens as he continues "I'll never let him go" Remus pits on his slippers "The love we've known can only grow There's just one thing that - no. I'll never tell. " They both sing " 'Cause there's nothing to tell."  
  
They go about their morning business singing, Sirius heads for the kitchen to make breakfast and Remus gets the Prophet and flips through it. They start listing faults in turn as part of the song Remus starts with "He snores." "He wheezes." "Say 'housework' and he freezes". Sirius opens the fridge and chooses an example from there "He eats these skeezy cheeses that I can't describe."  
  
Sirius picks up a green cheese, sniffs it and makes a 'yuck' face. Remus continues "I talk, he breezes." "He doesn't know what 'please' is." "His brain got diseases from Azkaban!" Sirius looks annoyed and closes the fridge and glares at Remus They both sing together "The vibe gets kind of scary" Then they go back to their song fight Sirius starts to show his doubts "Like he thinks I'm ordinary" They seem lost in their own thoughts "Like it's all just temporary" Sirius comes up with a strange point "Like his toes are kind of hairy" They join in for another line giving each other fake smiles "But it's all very well 'Cause god knows, I'll never tell! "  
  
Sirius opens the newspaper. The headline on the front page reads: "MAYHEM CAUSED. MONSTERS CERTAINLY NOT INVOLVED, OFFICIALS SAY." Remus starts to point out faults again starting "When things get rough, he Just hides behind his Harry!" Sirius glares at Remus again Remus continues to sing "Now look, he's getting huffy 'Cause he knows that I know." Sirius starts in on him in retaliation "He clings He's needy He's also really greedy He nev." Interrupting Remus points to Sirius and quickly sings "His eyes are beady!" Sirius turns to him and almost speaking sings in an annoyed tone "This is my verse, hello!" But, Remus begins to dance in flapper style, to the unseen music and tries to distract Sirius so he can't criticize him any further. He speaks to Sirius "Look at me! I'm dancin' crazy!"  
  
Sirius stares at him with deadpan contempt then joins the dance and they dance together around the apartment. As the music continues Sirius sweeps him into his arms and they do a few turns, getting closer and closer the resentment melting away as the music changes with their mood. They turn to each other and sing "You know... " Sirius sings to Remus "You're quite the charmer. " Remus sings to Sirius "My knight in armor." Sirius catching the other up in a lose hug arms around his neck "You're the cutest of the Scoobies With your lips as red as rubies And your firm yet supple. " He thinks and hugs and goes with "Tight embrace!"  
  
They resume dancing, the music going again from frenetic to romantic the two of them then go to opposite sides of the dining room table and sit. Looking at each other. Remus making a vague gesture to the other man " He's swell" Sirius too banters back "He's sweller" "He'll always be my feller" Sirius then starts to sing the point of the problem "That's why I'll never tell him that I'm petrified." Remus has the same problems "I've read this tale There's wedding, than betrayal I know there'll come the day I'll want to run and hide."  
  
They get up, crawl across the table toward each other. Singing together "I lied I said it's easy I've tried But there's these fears I can't quell"  
  
They sit with their backs pressed against each other. Again lost in their own fear and doubt. Sirius starts thinking of problems out loud "Is he looking for a pot of gold?" Remus runs his hands over his face in nervousness "Will I look good when I've gotten old?" He stands up Sirius still focused sings " Will our lives become too stressful if I'm never that successful?" Then gets up as well. Remus looks off into the distance "When I get so worn and wrinkly that I look like David Brinkley?"  
  
They get up, resume dancing.  
  
"Am I crazy?" sings Sirius  
  
"Am I dreamin'?" Remus sings getting swung around by Sirius "Am I marrying a demon?"  
  
They both sing together and dance side by side in synch "We could really raise the beam in making marriage a hell! So, thank god, I'll never tell! I swear that I'll never tell!"  
  
They walk around the table, toward the couches in the living-room area.  
  
Sirius now sings about how much he's going to keep his doubts bottled up "My lips are sealed" "I take the Fifth" Sings Remus who takes up the same thread "Nothing to see Move it along " Sings Sirius who waves at the unseen audience to leave  
  
They sing together "I'll never Tell!"  
  
They both fall back onto the sofa, clutching each other and laughing fake Hollywood-musical laughs.  
  
Later on that day Remus and Sirius are on either side of Dumbledore, all walking down the street. Remus and Sirius both talking at once. Sirius to the headmaster "It's a nightmare." Remus not really paying attention to Sirius because he's also speaking to Dumbledore "It has to be stopped, Albus." Sirius still shocked "It's a plague. It's like a nightmare about a plague." The couples attitude is in sharp contrast to when they are singing they are pissed trying to talk over each other Remus is confused about singing to an invisible audience "It was like we were being watched." Where as Sirius is dwelling on the lyrics " It's like, I didn't wanna be saying things." "Like there was a wall missing." ". but they just kept pouring out." ". in our apartment." "And they rhymed and they were mean and." "Like there were only three walls and not a fourth wall and." "My eyes are not beady!" "My toes are not hairy!" They stop talking over each other after they scream that out at the same time. "Dumbledore, you've got to stop it." Pleads Sirius. The headmaster answers "Well, I am looking into some leads, and I." "It's just, clearly our number is a retro pastiche that's never going to be a breakaway pop hit." Said Remus interrupting Dumbledore "Work with me, here. Give me an axe and show me where to point it." Said Sirius showing his frustration as they pass yet another group of people dancing in their own world, this time it's a bunch of cleaners with brooms.  
  
Dumbledore is not that impressed with Sirius's gung-ho attitude "As ever, it's not quite that simple. But I have learned about some disturbing things. Basically."  
  
They continue talking in the background Seamus Finnigan who is standing by his carriage singing to a policeman. The cop is writing him a parking ticket as his carriage is parked next to a fire hydrant. Dumbledore, Sirius, and Remus are standing and talking in background.  
  
Seamus sings I'm asking you please no "It isn't right, it isn't fair There was no parking anywhere I think that hydrant wasn't there."  
  
The cop gives him the ticket Seamus continues to sing "Why can't you let it go? I think I've paid more than my share Hey, I'm not wearing underwear."  
  
He continues singing in the background as Sirius, Remus, and Dumbledore resume walking and talking. Sirius exclaims horrified "As in burnt up? Somebody set people on fire? That's nuts!" Remus drawls "I don't know. One more verse of our little ditty and I would've been looking for a gas can." Dumbledore trying to diffuse the situation explains "Well, clearly emotions are running high." As the three of them still walking they obliviously pass the couple walking along start to enact a ballet style dance. "But as far as I can tell these people burnt up from the inside, spontaneously combusted. I've only seen the one. I was able to examine the body while the police were taking witness arias."  
  
"Okay, but we're sure that the things are related: the singing and dancing, and burning and dying." Sirius points out as the couple passes them. Again continuing their dance. Dumbledore felling bad at the lack of information as well as Harry's lack of connection "We're not sure of much. Harry's looking for leads at the local dark magic haunts, at least ... in theory he is, but ... he doesn't seem to." "He's easing back into it. We pulled him out of an untold hellish place. Ergo the weirdness. The important thing is to be there for him." Sirius gently explains. Dumbledore cant explain what he thinks, its not that so much it's the fact that Harry doesn't seem to be connecting with his life the way he did before and that possibly being there for him isn't enough. "I'm helping him as much as I can, but, uh... " He fumbles for words but nothing seems to come out right. Remus pats Dumbledore awkwardly on the shoulder.  
  
That night, Harry stands in front of Professor Snape's chambers in the dungeons of Hogwarts. He pushes open the door and walks in. Snape comes out of his private lab and into the sitting room speaking dryly "The sun sets and he appears." He gestures to on of the chairs and asks sarcastically "Come to serenade me?" "So you know what's going on." Harry states with a quiet voice Snape smirks  
  
"Well, I've seen some damn funny things in the last two days. Our resident groundskeeper and Care of Magical Creatures teacher making like Yma Sumac, that one will stay with you. I remain immune, happy to say. Drink?" He holds up a bottle of whisky Harry shakes his head empathetically "A world of no." Harry finally sits down and asks "So any idea what's causing this?"  
  
Snape turned away from Harry and said a little bitterly "Oh. So that's all. You've just come to pump me for information." Harry looks at him and asks without checking with his brain "What else would I wanna pump you for?" Then he thinks about how it came out "I really just said that, didn't I?" "Yeah, well ... don't wanna bore you with the small talk." Snape walks to the door, opens it and turns toward Harry. "Don't know a thing." Harry not quite getting why he's acting all strange asks, "What's up? You're all bad moody." "Nothing. Glad you could stop by." Snape said trying to avoid the question. He makes a gesture toward the door. Harry stays seated, looks at him. Snape gets defensive "It's nothing." Harry asks again "What?" Snape answers, "I died So many years ago." Snape looks surprised to hear himself singing swears. Harry rolls his eyes "But you can make me feel Like it isn't so " He shakes his head, closes the door "And why you come to be with me I think I finally know Mmm, mmm." He rounds on Harry as he gives himself over to the song and pours his feelings out. "You're scared. Ashamed of what you feel" Harry not wanting to hear this doesn't look but Snape keeps singing as the music becomes more angry. "And you can't tell the ones you love You know they couldn't deal" Now Harry looks at him, frowns, getting the drift. "Whisper in a dead man's ear, It doesn't make it real." Snape points to his head sarcastically as Harry looks at him, then looks away. Snape rolls his eyes in annoyance. "That's great. But I don't wanna play." Walks over to his bed and Harry follows curiously "'Cause being with you touches me More than I can say. But since I'm only dead to you I'm saying stay away" He lies down on the bed and crosses his arms on his chest like a corpse. Harry is thrown by the request. "And let me rest in peace." Snape jumps up and the song takes on an angry rock beat for the refrain. "Let me rest in peace Let me get some sleep" Snape has maneuvered the two of them back to the siting room and grabs whiskey bottle and throws it against the wall. Harry jumps as it barley misses him and shatters. "Let me take my love and bury it In a hole six foot deep I can lay my body down" He slowly advances on Harry. "But I can't find my sweet release" Snape turns away from him with an angry gesture more aimed at himself than the other. "So let me rest in peace!" Harry annoyed, turns toward the door, but Snape intercepts him. The music changes with this act.  
  
"You know You've got a willing slave" Snape goes to his knees, defiantly supplicant and very close. "And you just love to play the thought That you might misbehave." Harry rolls his eyes at this. "But till you do I'm telling you, " He stands up and the music becomes angry again "Stop visiting my grave And let me rest in peace." Snape yanks the door open again. Snape and Harry walking along side-by- side. Down the corridors of the school. The music has changed to a more reflective tone "I know I should go But I follow you like a man possessed There's a traitor here beneath my breast" Snape exchanges a look with Harry. "And it hurts me more than you've ever guessed" Snape looks at Harry trying to gauge his thoughts. "If my heart could beat, it would break my chest" They stop walking, having reached the Great Hall there are only a few people in there. "But I can see you're unimpressed So leave me be. " He's angry again and walks up to the podium the head table is on. "And let me rest in peace Let me get some sleep" The other people see Snape and stand, he walks down to where the Gryffindor table is. "Let me take my love and bury it In a hole six foot deep" He angrily starts tossing the chairs aside. The people scatter. "I can lay my body down But I can't find my sweet release... " Harry comes up behind Snape, grabs him and turns him around. Snape and Harry tumble backward onto the table. Snape lands on his back with Harry on top of him. "Let me rest in peace. Why won't you Let me rest in peace?" He stares at Snape for a moment, then gets off him, and runs off. Snape lifts his head up to watch him go. "So ... you're not staying then?" Snape says after he's left hesitantly.  
  
Ginny is dumping stuff out of her schoolbag. Hermione watches from the doorway. Hermione has the "forget" herb pinned to her blouse. She asks, "Lotta homework? " Ginny says wryly " Ah, Arithmancy. It seemed cool when we were singing about it." "Draco said they have a lead on the whole musical extravaganza evil. This demon that can be summoned, some sort of Lord of the Dance. Thinks it might have possessed someone once it was summoned, as it has no body. Oh, but not the scary one. Just a demon." The older one smiles" Ginny asks, " Um ... do they know who summoned it?" "They don't even know its name yet. But Draco will find out. He's the brainy type." Hermione replies with a smile. Ginny smiles at the other girl and says, "Hm.I'm glad you guys made up." "What?" "That fight you guys had about magic and stuff? It gives me belly rumblings when you guys fight." Hermione confused states "Ginny, Draco and I never fought about." Ginny thinking that this is another one of those overprotective things that has happened lately leaps in with "It's okay. It's just ... you guys are so great together. I just hate it when you." Hermione puts her hand to the herb on her blouse, removes it, a melody plays in background. A horrible notion comes over her as she starts to think about where she saw this herb before. Ginny still talking "But that was the only fight I've seen you guys have anyway. But I'm still glad it's over." Hermione staring at the herb with an unreadable expression decides that she needs to know "Ginny, I, um ... there's something I need at the shop. Will you be okay for a little while?" Ginny sarcastically "Yes. The fifteen-year-old can spend a half an hour alone at Hogwarts." The older girl reassures her "I-I won't be gone long." Hermione leaves. Ginny's face falls slightly then she goes over to a side table, opens a small wooden box. It's filled with stuff she has taken from the magic shop. She takes out the necklace from before and puts it on, looks at herself in the mirror. Soft sad music plays in the background "Does anybody even notice? Does anybody even care?" She sings to herself. She turns around to find a demon (Voldemort/Sweet's minion) standing behind her. Its whole head is like a big mask. We see there are actually three of the minions. They throw a bag over Ginny's head. She continues screaming, muffled.  
  
Act III  
  
The Skull and Cross Bones, Ginny is asleep on the bar. She suddenly jerks awake, sits up, and begins to do a ballet dance. As unseen music plays she leaps down off the bar and dances her way to freedom which exemplifies her distress. She heads for a door and finds it locked. Her wand is at Hogwarts so she heads for another door. Before she gets there she is confronted by one of the masked minions. He is also dancing and forces her back to the main floor she turns and faces a second demon stopping her. They box her in and force to the middle of the dance floor. She spins her red hair flying out and drops gracefully backwards, caught one foot from the ground by a third henchman. He lifts her back up, she turns, all three of them coming for her. They surround Ginny as she huddles close to the floor. Then they fling her and she goes sliding across the floor, stopping beside the stage. We see Voldemort/Sweet's feet in red pants and black-and-white dance shoes. They begin to do a tap-dance number, dance down the stairs and toward Ginny. Sweet now had more control over Voldemort's body and there where less of the hissing sounds as he sang his voice sounded like his again. "Why'd you run away? Don't you like my ... style?"  
  
He snaps his fingers and his red suit turns to a green one. His features also change back to Tom Riddle's. "Why don't you come and play? I guarantee a..."  
  
He reaches up to his face, and literally rips off his mouth and holds the disembodied mouth in Ginny's face. She stares in shock as the mouth continues singing. " ...great big smile." The mouth disappears from his hand and reappears in its normal place. "I come from the Imagination And I'm here strictly by your Invocation" He holds up a scroll covered with writing, it looks more like and invitation complete with RSVP on it. "So what do you say? Why don't we dance awhile?" He dances over to Ginny, gestures at her, she stands up completely against her will, then dances away again. "I'm the heart of swing I'm the twist and shout" He does a few taps "When you gotta sing, When you gotta ... let it out." His minions join in dancing. "You call me and I come a-running " He dances back toward Ginny "I turn the music on. I bring the fun in" He makes a string-pulling gesture at Ginny, who starts to dance. "Now we're partyin' That's what it's all about." He does his patented Evil Overlord laugh. He dances toward Ginny and she dances backward. "'Cause I know ... what you feel, girl." He puts his arms around her and they dance together. Ginny looks scared. "I know just what you feel, girl." He spins Ginny away; she dances a few steps away from him. The music has stopped she asks nervously "So ... you're like a good demon? Bringing the fun in?" Voldemort/Sweet laughs, shakes his head no'. "All these melodies..." He gestures for her to sit and Ginny does "They go on too long Then that energy " His minions door a dance-fight to emphasize the energy. "Starts to come on way too strong All those hearts laid open, that must sting " A door appears beside Voldemort/Sweet, he reaches for the knob. "Plus, some customers just start combusting" Voldemort/Sweet opens the door and a charred smoking corpse falls through it. Ginny stares in horror. "That's the penalty" He dances back over to her and shakes his head in false sympathy. "When life is but a song." He rounds on her all sweet menace and she backs away dancing with him, she tries to look for an escape but can't. "You brought me down and doomed this town So, when we blow this scene Back we will go to my kingdom below And you will be my queen "  
  
Voldemort/Sweet makes a gesture and Ginny's clothing turns to a green and silver satiny ball gown. She looks down at the dress then back at him in shock.  
  
"'Cause I know what you feel, girl" He dances up onto the stage. Ginny's desperate she sings her excuses while Voldemort/Sweet sings about himself. "No, you see You and me Wouldn't be very regal"  
  
"I'll make it real, girl" He's dancing around the stage.  
  
"What I mean I'm fifteen So this queen thing's illegal " She follows him at the front of the stage. Trying in vain to plead with him.  
  
He's completely into the song jumps back onto the floor "I can bring whole cities to ruin And still have time to get a soft-shoe in"  
  
"Well, that's great But I'm late And I'd hate to delay him"  
  
He's dancing around her kicking out his legs "Something's cooking, I'm at the griddle I bought Nero his very first fiddle"  
  
"He'll get pissed If I'm missed See, I'm friends with Harry Potter"  
  
Voldemort/Sweet stops in mid-kick, looks surprised, stops dancing, turns to Ginny. He turns and asks "Potter?" Ginny nods nervous at his sudden interest and responds "Yuh-huh." He does his Evil Overlord laugh and turns to his minions "Find him. Tell him ... tell him everything. Just get him here. I want to see Potter burn." Thinking at how he could finish something that the previous occupant of the body couldn't. He hears the redhead gasp and looks at her Ginny looks alarmed.  
  
"Now we're partying. That's what it's all about." He sings with a nasty smile on his face  
  
That night Sirius, Dumbledore and harry are in a classroom at Hogwarts practicing martial arts Sirius is teaching Harry for times when he mightn't be able to use his wand. Sirius holds a large piece of wood. Harry kicks it in two. Sirius complements Harry's kick "Good. Good." Harry not sure what to do next "I feel like I should ... bow, or ... have honor or something." Dumbledore steps in "It may seem hokey, but we need to work on precision and concentration as much as power. We're still not sure what we're facing." Harry puts one leg up on a desk and stretches says with complete confidence in the headmaster "Oh, you'll figure it out. I'm just worried this whole session's gonna turn into some training montage from an 80's movie." Sirius smiles and jokes "Ah. Well, if we hear any inspirational power chords, we'll just lie down until they go away. Anyway, I don't think we need to work that much on your strength." Harry turns and starts to do some gymnastics "Yeah, I'm pretty spry for a corpse." Dumbledore and Sirius have walked off a bit Sirius not paying attention to the conversation completely missed it but the remark wasn't lost on Dumbledore. He turns and quietly talks to Sirius "Have you spoken to Harry about that incident at Halloween?" "Oh. I thought you took care of that." Sirius said casually. The comment really registers and he looks between the two of them so close, but so far and says to himself "Right." Sirius watching Harry warm up says, "What would I do without you?" Dumbledore looks pensive, as Sirius turns and begins to walk toward a set of weapons in laid out near the wall. Harry walks up to Sirius "Okay. I'm ready."  
  
Dumbledore starts to sing to both Sirius and Harry while they continue to train. "You're not ready for the world outside You keep pretending, but you just can't hide" He picks up something from weapons case "I know I said that I'd be standing by your side " He walks toward Harry and Sirius "But I..." He goes back to his own thoughts as Sirius throws a small knife at Harry. He leans backward, lets it fly past him. "Your path's unbeaten and it's all uphill" Sirius throws another knife, which Harry deflects with one hand "And you can meet it, but you never will" He heads back toward the weapons and watches them. "And I'm the reason that you're standing still " He looks at Sirius as Harry stands waiting. "But I... " Sirius walks back, throws another knife, Harry kicks it aside in slow-motion as the Dumbledore lets his thoughts out without the others hearing as its really meant for the headmasters ears only. "I wish I could say the right words To lead you through this land. Wish I could play the father And take you by the hand " Dumbledore reaching out his hand, then pulls it back. "Wish I could stay. But now I understand" He walks closer as the two of them are sparring together in slow motion. "I'm standing in the way."  
  
As Dumbledore continues singing, Hermione walks into the Magic Box as Draco has his back turned. Draco doesn't see Hermione. Dumbledore sings "The cries around you, you don't hear at all" Hermione walks quickly toward the back; trying to avoid Draco looking distressed holding the herb in her hand begins to climb the steps to the loft. "'Cause you know I'm here to take that call " Dumbledore walks around the perimeter in regular speed as Harry does flips across the center of the room in slo-mo. "So you just lie there when you Should be standing tall But I... " Harry punching the punching bag that Sirius holds still both are still in slow motion as Dumbledore walks around "I wish I could lay your arms down And let you rest at last Wish I could slay your demons But now that time has passed Wish I could stay. You're stalwart, standing fast But I'm standing in the way."  
  
Harry walks right up in front of Dumbledore, Sirius behind him holding a water bottle. Dumbledore finishes singing "I'm just standing ... in the way." Harry and Sirius return to regular speed. Harry looks at him quizzically and asks, " Did you just say something?"  
  
Hermione looks through a book. She holds the piece of dried herb up to a picture of the same herb. The herb is labeled Lethe's Bramble. Used for augmenting spells of forgetting and mind control. Down stairs Draco moves away from the shelf holding a book, and stays at the front of the store. Hermione has moved to the stairs with a stricken look on her face as she thinks about what Ginny said and other times when he could of used the same spell. She starts to sing softly and unnoticed. "I'm under your spell God, how can this be? Playing with my memory" She turns, goes to where the entrance of the stairwell is and looks to where Draco is "You know I've been through hell Draco, don't you see?" Harry goes over to Draco and greets him, as Hermione watches still unseen by all. She breathes out the first word in horror "There'll be nothing left of me You made me believe." Dumbledore emerges from the back, his voice overlaps with Hermoine's last word "Believe me, I don't wanna go" They both begin to sing together.  
  
"And it'll grieve me 'cause I love you so" Draco and Harry are talking, oblivious to the singing "But we both know"  
  
Hermione comes down the stairs and they start towards their respective loved ones, singing soulfully, unheard and unseen, even each other.  
  
DUMBLEDORE HERMOINE "Wish I could say the right words Wish I could trust that it was just this once To lead you through this land But I must do what I must Wish I could play the father I can't adjust to this disgust And take you by the hand We're done and I just "  
  
They sing the same words trying to steel themselves for when the song is over and they have to face their loved ones one more time. "Wish I could stay" Hermione reaches the ground level, Dumbledore stops next to her. "Wish I could stay Wish I could stay" They both walk toward the front of the store where Harry and Draco are talking as the last line is sung "Wish I could stay..." Hermione and Dumbledore stand side-by-side as their song ends. Suddenly Snape bursts into the magic shop pulling one of Voldemort/Sweet's minions. Everyone turns to look as the bell announces their arrival. "It's your lucky day Headmaster look who decided to visit." Snape says dryly. Hermione stepped forwards toward where the others are and asks, "Is-is this the demon guy?" Draco sees her and is pleasantly surprised she is there he calls her name in greeting Hermione too angry with him ignores him. Draco looks surprised and falls silent, wondering what was wrong. Sirius and Remus emerge from the back with Fred and George in tow. "Works for him. Has a nice little story for Potter, don't you? Come on, then. Sing." Snape explains now that everyone is present. The music swells up dramatically as if to introduce a big musical number, but the minion simply speaks in normal voice. "My master has the Potter's friend hostage at The Skull and Cross Bones because she summoned him and at midnight he's going to take her to the underworld to be his queen. "What does he want?" Dumbledore asks flatly "Him. Plus the body of the Dark Lord he now inhabits, and chaos, insanity, people burning up, but that's more pig picture stuff" The minion answers, he did say to tell them everything. Snape grabs the minion from behind and rolls his eyes "If that's all you've got to say, then." Snape gets flipped off by the henchmen who now free and runs off. Snape is surprised and tries to shake it off "Strong. Someday he'll be a real boy." Harry without expression states in the resounding silence "So. Ginny's in trouble. Must be Tuesday." Hermione worriedly says "I-I just left her for a few minutes." Harry turns to her and says comfortingly "Oh, it's not your fault. So what's the plan?" Sirius all gung-ho "Plan, schman. Let's mount up." As the others go to get wagons and stuff Dumbledore interjects "No." They all turn to him surprised and Remus says "Uh, Ginny may have had the wrong idea in summoning this creature, but ... I've seen some of these underworld child bride deals and, and they never end well. Well, maybe once." Draco also says "We're not just gonna stay here." Dumbledore shakes off their reasons "Yes we are." He looks at Harry hoping this will work "Harry's going alone." Snape in not impressed "Gah! Don't be a stupid git. There is no." Sirius is getting tired of Snape he interjects "If I want your opinion, Snape, I'll." He pauses to consider. "I'll never want your opinion." Draco wanting to help still tries again "A little confusion spell could." Hermione still horrified by the memory spell "No!" Draco looks surprised by the strength of the objection so is Hermione she backs off a bit. "I mean, I don't think it'll help." "Look, forget them, Potter. I've got your back." Snape said to Harry "I thought you wanted me to stay away from you. Isn't that what you sang?" Harry didn't say with much snideness but Snape takes it hard, looking anywhere but at the group. "Snape sing a widdle song?" Sirius said with a singsong voice Remus is interested "Would you say it was a breakaway pop hit or more of a book number?" "Let it go, sweetie." Said Sirius with finality in his tone. "Fine. I hope you dance till you burn. You and the little Weasley." Said Snape angrily and he exits with his robes billowing around him. Harry looks at Dumbledore. "You're really not coming." Harry states "It's up to you, Harry." Dumbledore walks up to him. Harry upset asks, "What do you expect me to do?" Softly in reply "Your best." Harry stares at him. He looks at the others, sees from their expressions that everyone is going with Dumbledore on this he looks for a beat longer and leaves.  
  
It's dark Harry is slowly heading to the pub. Some people are doing an angry dance-fight.  
  
As he leaves the good part of Hogsmeade there stores and homes start to look rundown; there are some broken windows and trash fires. Harry stands before a garbage can with a fire burning inside it. Harry slowly, transfixed puts his hand out to the fire.  
  
"I touch the fire and it freezes me I look into it and it's black Why can't I feel?" Harry drew his hand back now looking at his hand confused. "My skin should crack and peel I want the fire back! " Suddenly drops his hand and turns away from the trashcan and starts walking again. Smoke swirls as Voldemort/Sweet shoves Ginny into a chair goes to sit in another chair beside her. Ginny looks scared. "Now through the smoke, she calls to me To make my way across the flame " Harry standing on the street Harry is still singing. "To save the day Or maybe melt away I guess it's all the same So I will walk through the fire 'Cause where else can I turn? I will walk through the fire And let it."  
  
Snape is sitting in an alley smoking a cigarette.  
  
"The torch I bear is scorching me Harry's laughing, I've no doubt I hope he fries I'm free if that bitch dies!" He tosses cigarette away angrily, then jumps up silently berating his actions. "I better help him out." He starts walking towards the pub.  
  
At the pub the possessed Dark Lord starts singing to Ginny "'Cause he is drawn to the fire. Some people" Snape's voice blends with the other's. " He will" "Never learn". Snape walking down the street. Voldemort/Sweet standing up in the pub singing together. "And he will walk through the fire And let it." At the shop Draco and Hermione sit at the table not looking at each other. Dumbledore stands behind the counter. The rest are silently worrying how this will end. Dumbledore starts to vocalize his concern. "Will this do a thing to change him? Am I leaving Ginny in danger? Is my student too far gone to care?"  
  
Sirius stands up and heads over to the older man and point blank asks, "What if Harry can't defeat it?" Remus does the same and states "Beady Eyes is right, we're needed! Or we could just sit around and glare." He looks at Draco and Hermione concern showing in his face. Dumbledore comes out from behind the counter, looks at Draco and Hermione, who get up, and they all start walking toward the door. Fred and George follow, they all start to sing "We'll see it through It's what we're always here to do So we will walk through the fire"  
  
Harry's walking alone through an alley. "So one by one, they turn from me I guess my friends can't face the cold " Hermione walking with the others sings to herself "What can't we face." Harry still thinking as he walks "But why I froze, not one among them knows " Hermione doing the same "If we're together?" Harry decidedly reaffirms his earlier decision "And never can be told."  
  
The following sequence has Voldemort/Sweet split-screened with the Scoobies as they walk along the street singing. Basically whoever's singing at the moment is on screen.  
  
VLODEMORT/SWEET: REMUS So one by one they turn to me He came from the grave much graver The distant redness as their guide SNAPE First he'll kill him, then I'll save him HERMOINE: HARRY: Everything is turning out so dark Going through the motions... SNAPE VOLDEMORT/SWEET No, I'll save him, then I'll kill him That single flame DRACO, Fred and George: HARRY: I think this line's mostly filler Walking through the part.  
  
DUMBLEDORE: Voldemort/Sweet Ain't what they had in mind. What's it gonna take to strike a spark? It's what they have inside.  
  
Harry sings decisively "These endless days are finally ending in a blaze "  
  
"He will come to me." Sings the Dark Lord at the same time as Harry as he feels his victory at hand. Everyone barring Ginny and Sweet sing "And we are caught in the fire " Harry is at the front of the pub alone "The point of no return So we will walk through the fire" The others walking down the street. A fire engine goes by behind them with lights flashing "And let it Burn Let it burn" Snape jumps over a fence, is in an alley and heads down it" "Let it burn Let it burn!"  
  
Harry kicks down the door of The Skull and Cross Bones. It smashes to pieces.  
  
The Dark Lord grinned evilly in the dim lights of the pub and said "Showtime!"  
  
Act IV  
  
Harry walks into the pub, looks around, and sees Voldemort/Sweet and Ginny sitting in chairs on the stage, the henchman are lurking in the shadows almost, but not quite out of site. Voldemort/Sweet just has to express his admiration "I love a good entrance." "How are you with death scenes? " Harry asks flatly Voldemort/Sweet just chuckles. Harry walks a little closer. "You got a name?" Asking the Demon not the body. "I've got a hundred." He answers waving his hands for emphasis "Well, I ought to know what to call you if you're gonna be my friend's husband." Ginny gets up and says desperately "Harry, I swear I didn't do it." Harry reassures the girl "Don't worry. You're not going anywhere." Voldemort/Sweet looks at him and he continues "I am." Ginny asks in confusion, "What?" Voldemort/Sweet looks interested, sits forward Harry turns to the Dark lord and states "Deal's this. I can't kill you? You take me to Hellsville in her place." "What if I kill you?" Harry replies deadpan "Trust me. Won't help." "Hm, that's gloomy!" He says with false sympathy oozing from his voice. Harry doesn't care "That's life." The demon getting more and more amused by Harry rises and comes forward as the henchmen start edging closer to the Gryffindor he laughs and asks "Come now, is that really what you feel? Isn't life a miraculous thing?" "I think you already know." Harry said and music starts playing. The music is a sweet sounding melody and Harry starts singing "Life's a show And we all play our parts And when the music starts" He unbuttons robe, opens it still singing "We open up our hearts." He drops robes to the floor "It's all right If some things come out wrong " He looks over and sees the minions checking where they're positioned "We'll sing a happy song " He looks at Ginny with a tired battleworn smile "And you can sing along."  
  
The beat changes to a harsh hard-rock tune with lots of electric guitar. The minions attack. He sings at the same time punctuating the words with blows " Where there's life," Harry grabs the pool cue from a table and hits a minion with it snapping it in two "there's hope " "Every day's," He elbows the second minion that attacks "a gift" "Wishes can," He kicks out "come true " "Whistle while," He punches another "you work" He hits one with the pool cue "So hard," hits another "all day" He throws one of the ends away and, impales the third minion with the end of the cue Music changes back "To be like other guys." Everyone minus Snape enters and the headmaster takes stock of the situation. "To fit in in this glittering world." Voldemort/Sweet on the edge of his seat watching and, listening. "Don't give me songs."  
  
Dumbledore tuns to the others and say, "He needs backup. Remus, Hermione."  
  
"Don't give me songs." Harry sings, he notices the group and splits his attention, as he sings to everyone and no one. Remus and Hermione take up positions behind Harry to be his backup singers and dancers. The three of them move in sync. "Give me something to sing about." Remus and Hermione sing "Ahhhhh... " "I need something to sing about." The three start dancing and the hard rock beat returns. The three dance to it for a minute, then return to the first dance and the music returns. "Life's a song You don't get to rehearse. And every single verse Can make it that much worse." Remus and Hermione stop dancing, move to background, Harry puts up a hand as if to shield himself from the sight of his friends "Still my friends Don't know why I ignore The million things or more I should be dancing for."  
  
Back to the hard-rock tune. Harry continues dancing alone. "All the joy, life sends Family, and friends All the twists, and bends Knowing that, it ends Well that Depends " The original melody returns "On if they let you go" He looks at the group almost huddled in the corner and at Ginny still standing on the stage. "On if they know enough to know" He walks up the steps to the stage "That when you've bowed You leave the crowd."  
  
He walks up onto the stage, looks back at the others, then at Voldemort/Sweet still sitting. He's about to go into the chorus but the energy goes from him he can hardly look at his friends. The demon makes his string-pulling gesture. Harry walks right up to him he sings like it was not what he wold sing but what he has to sing, the music changes again to a slower tune. "There was no pain No fear, no doubt Till they pulled me out Of Heaven." He looks back at the others. Dumbledore and Sirius looking surprised. "So that's my refrain." Draco looking horrified Hermione turns to Draco "I live in Hell" Sirius looking horrified. Remus horrified glances at Sirius worried for his partner.  
  
"'Cause I've been expelled From Heaven I think I was in Heaven" Draco looking horrified backs away shaking his head "So give me something to sing about." He whirls around to look at Voldemort/Sweet vehement "Please give me something..."  
  
Voldemort/Sweet shakes his head smiling. Harry gives a desperate look, turns and flips off the stage onto the floor. The hard-rock tune returns with the electric guitars playing a wild riff. Harry dances, faster and faster. Ginny watches in dismay. Voldemort/Sweet leans forward expectantly. Harry spins wildly round and round and round, smoke begins to curl off him. Suddenly Snape appears, stops Harry by grabbing his upper arms. Harry gives him a desperate unhappy look. Snape starts to explain to her with the same tune as Harry's last verse. "Life's not a song Life isn't bliss Life is just this It's living" He lets go and brushes Harry's hair back from his face. "You'll get along" Ginny stands up, and comes forward on the stage. "The pain that you feel You only can heal By living" Harry looks about as tears pinprick in his eyes. "You have to go one living So one of us is living."  
  
Harry stares at Snape the desperately unhappy look still on his face. Ginny walks forward to the edge of the stage. "The hardest thing in this world ... is to live in it." She says and Harry looks at Ginny, then back at Snape the song and words still sinking in. Hermione looks at Draco he's a wreck as the extent of what he's done replays over and over in his head she reaches out to comfort Draco but still feeling betrayed the hand doesn't quite make it. Everyone else is standing quietly around the pub wondering what to do or say. Voldemort/Sweet applauds. "Now that was a show-stopping number." He said Harry and Snape turning to look at him anger blanking their faces and take up fighting stances, wands out. "Not quite the fireworks that I was looking for." he continues Draco quietly voice full of menace interrupts "Get out of here." The Dark Lord possessed turns to look at him with a slow lazy smile. "Mm, I smell power." He stops speaking considering his actions and stands he speaks casually "I guess the little missus and I should be on our way." Ginny backs away from him in fear, sitting back down. Dumbledore looks at him and flatly states "That's never going to happen." Sweet laughs "I don't make the rules. She summoned me." He says pointedly Ginny turns to him and angrily says, "I so did not." She speaks to the others "He keeps saying that." The demon reaches his host body's hand to the necklace on her neck and says "You have my talisman on, sweet thing." She cringes in fear, cowers away from him.  
  
Ginny realises nervously stutters her excuses for having it "Oh, but, no, I, I, um, uh, this, at, at the Magic Box, on the floor, I was, I was cleaning, and I ... forgot ... but ... I didn't summon anything."  
  
He looks around bemused "Well now, that's a twist." The Dark Lord said Dumbledore thinks out load realizing "If it was in the shop ... then one of us probably... " They all look around at each other. Slowly Fred and George raise their hands. Remus shocked "Fred, George?!" The twins explain in unison "Well, we didn't know what was gonna happen! We just thought there were gonna be dances and songs." They turn to Remus and Sirius "we just wanted to make sure we'd... we'd work out." The give everyone a nervous smile "Get a happy ending. " The Dark Lord gives a smile and says dryly "I think everything worked out just fine." Fred looks at him "Does this mean that we have to... " ".be your queens?" George finishes they exchange nervous glances The Dark Lord considers "It's tempting. But I think we'll waive that clause just this once."  
  
The Twins are intensely relieved. Everyone else just continues watching Voldemort/Sweet.  
  
"Big smiles everyone! You beat the bad guy."  
  
He does a quick spin. He sings good bye to the same tune as his first song "What a lot of fun You guys have been real swell" He chuckles, and begins dancing "And there's not a one Who can say this ended well" Harry and Snape watching warily with their wands out pointed at him. "All those secrets you've been concealing" Draco, Hermione, Dumbledore, and Sirius watching the same as Harry and Snape, wands out. "Say you're happy now, Once more with feeling. Now I gotta run See you all... "  
  
He turns into a ball of light that swirls around their heads, leaving a sparkly trail. They watch it go. The rest of the room has a bright flash of white light like at the beginning. "...in hell!" Everyone stands around looking kind of shell-shocked. Ginny walks across the stage in foreground with the others in background. Lord Voldemort also disappeared when the light flash happened. Tentatively Ginny begins to sing "Where do we go ... from here?" She walks to the steps and down them to where the others are. Harry and Snape sing together looking at each other and glancing away "Where do we go ... from here?" Dumbledore sings by himself "The battle's done And we kind of won" Hermione joins in with him. "So we sound our victory cheer Where do we go from here?" Remus and Sirius sing together not looking at each other "Why is the path unclear When we know home is near?" They all move to stand in a line side-by-side. The all sing together "Understand we'll go hand in hand" They all join hands in a Mexican wave type of deal "But we'll walk alone in fear." They all release hands and walk off in different directions starting the big finish dance and song Dumbledore sings "Tell me!" They all sing "Where do we go from here? When does the end appear?" They all make a dance gesture with their arms. In the middle of singing 'appear' he suddenly stops, scoffs, and puts his arm down. Says, "Bugger this." Leaves and heads outside for a smoke. The rest continue without him "When do the trumpets cheer? The curtains close on a kiss, god knows We can tell the end is near." Harry comes out of the pub after Snape. The music can still be heard faintly "Hey." Harry said softly "You should go back inside. Finish the big group sing. Get your kum-ba- yayas out." Said Snape "I don't want to." Said Harry unsure how to take that brush off. Snape sighs and fed up says "The day you suss out what you do want, there'll probably be a parade. Seventy-six bloody trombones." Harry starts and says, "Snape... Snape cuts in quickly not wanting to hear it "Look, you don't have to say anything." Harry sings "I touch the fire and it freezes me." Snape looks surprised. They walk toward each other. Snape Sings "I died..."  
  
HARRY: SNAPE: I look into it and it's black So many years ago This isn't real But you can make me But I just want to feel Feel  
  
As they hold the last note on 'feel' they walk right up to each other. They finish the song and kiss passionately.  
  
Everyone else sings as Snape and Harry are otherwise occupied "Where do we go from here?" The End 


End file.
